Cardiovascular Disease News and Research

Latest Cardiovascular Disease News and Research

Attacks on healthcare surge in Ukraine

As Ukraine enters the fifth year of full-scale war, its people have endured the highest number of attacks on their health care in 2025 – increasing by nearly 20% compared to 2024.

24 Feb 2026

WashU Medicine receives 80 million to study exceptional longevity

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have received an $80 million grant to continue research into the mysteries of exceptional longevity.

23 Feb 2026

Rethinking cardiovascular risk assessment in women

Less artery-clogging plaque in women's arteries did not appear to protect them from heart disease compared to men, according to a study published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging, an American Heart Association journal.

23 Feb 2026

Moments of awe show measurable links to reduced loneliness in daily life

Daily diary data from healthcare workers and community adults during COVID lockdowns showed that people reported less loneliness on days when they experienced greater awe. This association was partly explained by increased feelings of connectedness to nature, although the observational design prevents causal conclusions.

23 Feb 2026

Rising primary PCI rates do not correlate with lower heart attack mortality in Europe

An increase in the number of percutaneous coronary interventions does not appear to have resulted in reduced mortality rates, according to results presented today at the EAPCI Summit 2026.

20 Feb 2026

New insights on spontaneous coronary artery dissection in young patients

New insights into spontaneous coronary artery dissection – a devastating cause of heart attacks in young, healthy patients – were presented today at the EAPCI Summit 2026.

20 Feb 2026

Italian registry sheds light on acute coronary syndromes in women

Preliminary results from an Italian registry describe the risk profile of women experiencing acute coronary syndromes and provide insights to improve management.

19 Feb 2026

New guidelines outline comprehensive care for acute pulmonary embolism

Early detection and prompt treatment of acute pulmonary embolism (PE), a sudden and potentially life-threatening blood clot that blocks arteries in the lungs, is critical.

19 Feb 2026

Study reveals long-term health risks after chemotherapy for testicular cancer

A large, multi-center study recently published online in the Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (JNCCN) provides new insight into the long-term health effects of contemporary chemotherapy regimens used to treat testicular cancer, highlighting differences in renal function, cardiovascular risk, and the overall burden of chronic health conditions among survivors.

19 Feb 2026

Gut bacteria patterns help predict insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes, study finds

Researchers used 16S rRNA sequencing and machine learning to identify gut microbiome patterns associated with insulin resistance severity in people with type 2 diabetes. XGBoost models showed that specific bacterial genera, including Bacteroides and Faecalibacterium, help distinguish individuals with higher insulin resistance from healthy controls.

19 Feb 2026

Study supports safe same-day discharge following TAVI procedures

With careful selection, same-day hospital discharge was found to be feasible and safe in around one-fifth of patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation in a study presented today at the EAPCI Summit 2026.

19 Feb 2026

Intermittent calorie restriction proves as effective as daily calorie cuts for type 2 diabetes

A post-hoc analysis of two clinical trials compared continuous calorie restriction with early time-restricted eating in adults with type 2 diabetes and overweight or obesity over three months. Both approaches improved weight, body composition, and metabolic health, with no clear superiority except for lower dropout with intermittent restriction.

18 Feb 2026

Ancient mind body practice matches walking for hypertension control

High blood pressure is one of the leading preventable risk factors for heart disease. Clinical guidelines recommend regular physical activity, yet long-term adherence to exercise programs is challenging for many people, particularly when routines require equipment, dedicated space, gym memberships or ongoing supervision.

18 Feb 2026

Undiagnosed diabetes and kidney disease raise heart risk

Diabetes and kidney disease are major risk factors for heart disease, yet many cases are undiagnosed. In addition, a consumer survey done last fall suggests that most people don't realize that their heart, kidney and metabolic health (how the body creates, uses and stores energy) are connected.

18 Feb 2026

Direct-to-consumer genetic testing drives preventive care

23andMe Research Institute today announced the publication of a new study highlighting the positive health actions taken by people who learned of their risk through direct-to-consumer genetic testing.

18 Feb 2026

Scientists uncover nanoplastics in brain tissue and question their role in neurological disease

Emerging evidence suggests nanoplastics accumulate in human tissues including the brain and may contribute to neuroinflammation and neurodegenerative disease pathways. However, causality, exposure routes, and long-term health effects remain uncertain and require coordinated research.

17 Feb 2026

Mask-wearing during COVID-19 may have reduced heart attack risk triggered by air pollution

Researchers at Kumamoto University have discovered that behavioral changes during the COVID-19 pandemic-particularly widespread mask-wearing-may have reduced the risk of certain types of heart attacks triggered by air pollution.

17 Feb 2026

Redefining cardiovascular care for women

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death for women across the globe, yet significant progress has been made in prevention, diagnosis and management thanks to more sex-specific research, as noted in a special Go Red for Women issue of Circulation, the American Heart Association's flagship, peer-reviewed scientific journal, published today.

17 Feb 2026

Do cocoa flavanols influence heart and fatty liver risk factors?

A recent Nutrients review examined whether cocoa-rich dark chocolate influences cardiovascular and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease risk factors through antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and endothelial effects. Evidence suggests modest improvements in biomarkers, but most data come from short-term studies, so definitive clinical benefits remain unproven.

16 Feb 2026

Healthy diets link to longer life regardless of longevity genes, large study finds

Adherence to five established healthy dietary patterns was associated with lower mortality and modestly longer life expectancy in a large UK cohort. These associations were largely independent of genetic predisposition to longevity, suggesting diet quality may influence lifespan regardless of inherited risk.

16 Feb 2026